l-Lysine-based supramolecular hydrogels containing various inorganic ions

Abstract

The preparation of supramolecular hydrogels containing various inorganic acids and salts using L-lysine-based hydrogelators is conducted and their thermal stabilities, gel strengths, FT-IR spectra, and electron micrographs are measured. These hydrogelators can form supramolecular hydrogels over a wide pH range and contain inorganic acids and salts. The supramolecular hydrogels based on ester-type hydrogelators have good thermal stabilities (high T_gel), while the hydrogelator with a carboxyl group forms a thermally sensitive gel with high mechanical strength. Furthermore, the gelation mechanism is discussed using FT-IR spectroscopy and TEM observations.